Petoskey, Ogemaw Heights set for Round 2 in football playoff opener

October 29, 2009|By Andy Sneddon News-Review Sports Editor

Petoskey and West Branch Ogemaw Heights will meet in a Division 3 pre-district football game Friday at Curtis Field. The teams played in week 2 of the regular season, met last year in a first-round playoff game — also at Curtis — and played each other in week 2 of the regular season last year.

Hello, again.

If it feels familiar, that's because it is.

Petoskey and West Branch Ogemaw Heights will meet in a Division 3 pre-district football game Friday at Curtis Field. The teams played in week 2 of the regular season, met last year in a first-round playoff game - also at Curtis - and played each other in week 2 of the regular season last year.

Friday's matchup will mark the fourth time in 14 months the teams have met. Petoskey as won all three of those meetings, but none has come easy.

The Northmen's 24-15 win eight weeks ago was its largest margin of victory in that three-game stretch and though Petoskey led, 24-7, in the fourth quarter, the Northmen could never get comfortable against a team that features a very good quarterback, John Hughes, in a potentially quick-strike big-play offense.

"These kids have played this team now half a season almost," said coach Kerry VanOrman, who has the Northmen in the playoffs for the third time in the last four years. "They've got a good feel for (Ogemaw), just like they have a good feel for us. Persoanlly I think it's going to be a defensive battle."

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Friday's winner will play either Cadillac or Escanaba for the district title the following weekend. The Vikings are the top seed in the district and, if they beat Esky, will host the district final. Petoskey is seeded second and would host the final only if it beats Ogemaw and Esky beats Cadillac.

Petoskey enters the 2009 playoffs with a different mindset than a year ago, when the vast majority of the team was comprised of juniors and the Northmen literally came out of nowhere to post an 8-1 regular season record, tie for the Big North Conference championship, and advance to a district championship game, where they lost to Bay City John Glenn, 27-3.

This season, with those juniors now seniors, the Northmen's 8-1 mark and playoff berth were all but expected from day one. The Northmen are ranked 10th in Division 3 by the Associated Press.

"This is where we expected to be and we want to go farther than we did last year," VanOrman said. "That's our motivation and (Ogemaw's) standing in the way right now."

Playoff experience is a major boost, VanOrman said.

"Especially with the older guys," he said. "I think the expectations of the seniors - they know what to expect; they seem focused."

Petoskey's first meeting this season with the Falcons, who went 4-0 to win the Northeast Michigan Conference, was indeed a battle. Outside of the Northmen's 31-28 loss to Cadillac in week 8, it was arguably Petoskey's most difficult game of the season.

The Northmen were held to 127 rushing yards, 214 total yards and six first downs, all season lows. By the same token, Petoskey got timely defensive stops when it needed them and forced three turnovers, including two interceptions. The Northmen also threw for two touchdowns, one of which came on a halfback option pass from Mike Suter to Vince DeAgostino that gave Petoskey a 14-0 lead in the second quarter.

But, alas, Suter, an All-Stater last year, won't play Friday because of a frustrating back injury that has sidelined him since week 6. On top of that, the Northmen are without fullback/linebacker Kelsey Heinrich, whose season ended after week 8 because of a knee injury. After week 6 - the last time Suter and Heinrich played together in the backfield - they were Petoskey's leading rushers with 481 and 418 yards, respectively.

Junior Josh Daniel, Suter's backup who has missed the past two games, should return on Friday though he may not be 100 percent, VanOrman said.

"This time of year, anybody who is 100 percent healthy is probably unique," said Ogemaw coach Andrew Pratley, whose team has had injury problems of its own, but, unlike the Northmen, hasn't lost players the caliber of Suter or Heinrich.

"One of the things that's been unique is that we really have had a different kid each week step up - each week we have a different MVP, so to speak," Pratley said. "Obvously John (Hughes), our quarterback, makes things go and our offensive line's played well. Each week it seems like we've had a different leading rusher or a different leading receiver."

Hughes is dangerous. He threw for 152 yards and a touchdown in the week 2 meeting, but the Northmen managed to keep him in check the ground in Ogemaw's option offense. He rushed for just nine yards on 11 carries.

Containing Hughes is the key to stopping the Falcons, VanOrman said.

"They're pretty much doing the same stuff they did when they played us (the first time)," he said. "I think they just execute it better because they've done it all year. The quarterack, to me, is still a threat. Throws a great pass."

The top receivers are speedy and athletic Kyle Bellor and 6-foot-6 Alex Jennings, who combined for 119 yards on four catches in the teams' first meeting and have the ability to get deep.